We all had our twins with IVF just like Julia Roberts

WHEN Julia Roberts announced she was pregnant with twins it was the end of a long battle for the actress to have a baby. The Pretty Woman star had made no secret that she wanted to start a family. After difficulties falling pregnant naturally, it is thought the 36- year-old Oscar winner turned to IVF treatment, where a woman's eggs are fertilised in a test tube outside the womb, to fulfil her dream of being a mother. Around 25per cent of couples who have had successful IVF treatment have twins, compared with one in 90 usually. Julia, who is nine weeks pregnant, and her husband of two years Danny Moder, 35, are expecting their babies early next year. ZOE NAUMANN and LAURA MANNERING spoke to three women who suffered similar problems and are now proud mothers of twins thanks to IVF...

DEBI'S STORY

DEBI Riley, 39, a PA, and her husband Justin, a carpenter, spent six years trying to conceive. But because they had their treatment on the Australian NHS they only paid pounds 900 for four attempts. The couple, who now live in Herne Bay, Kent, started trying for a family in 1998. Twins Archie and Isabella have just celebrated their first birthday and Debi is pregnant again - naturally. Debi says:

"JUSTIN and I had been trying for a family for 18 months and had got nowhere. When the doctor told us we had 'unexplained infertility' we were heartbroken.

"We took fertility for granted. We just thought it would all happen. We were both determined to have a child, so as I was over 35, our GP recommended IVF. Having treatment was very traumatic. On our first attempt, we had two embryos implanted, and although one fertilised it didn't develop.

"The second time I received too many hormones to stimulate egg production and fell seriously ill. I was writhing in agony with stomach cramps and was vomiting. I thought I was going to die.

"On my third go, I got pregnant and we were ecstatic. All our dreams came true.

"But sadly after six weeks I lost the baby - it was heartbreaking and Justin and I thought seriously about whether to carry on. But despite our grief, in the end we did.

"While we were trying it was very difficult. You'd be amazed at how seeing a baby in the street or getting a phone call with the news a friend was pregnant, could affect you.

"Justin was more emotional than I was. We used to try to do other things - he played football and I threw myself into evening classes, pottery, jewellery-making, anything to take my mind off the grief.

"We did talk about it, but Justin found it hard to open up. We got married in 2002 and I got pregnant that year. If we hadn't used the NHS in Australia, we couldn't have afforded to start a family. We returned to England last year as we wanted the children to have their family around them.

"Having twins is hard work, but it is really special. They are beginning to play with each other and they never get lonely.

"And Justin and I are closer than ever.

"It was a complete shock when I found out I was pregnant again - naturally. We hadn't bothered with contraception - we thought we didn't need it.

"I thought our twins were a miracle, but now we have another."

JANE'S STORY

NURSERY nurse Jane Bennett, 34, of Beechdale, Nottingham, gave birth to twins Marcus and Ruby 18 months ago. It took four attempts at IVF over two years. It cost Jane and her partner Barry, 47, a sales rep, pounds 10,000. Jane said:

"WHEN Barry was diagnosed with Hodgkinson's lymphoma we were warned his sperm would probably die during the treatment, so we agreed to freeze some of it. It was then we decided to go down the IVF route. I think I was more keen than he was. But I really wanted children. If it wasn't for our family we could never have afforded it - my Mum helped out with a lot of the cost.

"It is an extremely expensive and painful process, but definitely worth it. I had two embryos implanted in my womb the first three times and three on the fourth attempt. I always thought twins would be nice, but never thought I would actually have them. You are just so fixed on having one child you don't think about having two. I remember vividly when I went for my ultra sound scan at six weeks and the nurse said: 'Oh yes there is one heartbeat, and there's another one'. It was a bit of a shock.

"I had a very difficult pregnancy - Marcus was stuck in my pelvis and Ruby was very small and didn't have enough fluid around her.

"They had to be born by caesarean at 36 weeks because of these complications. Ruby was 3lb15oz and Marcus was 5lb.

"At first Barry and I were just so relieved they were both OK. We had been waiting for a baby for so long. I never realised what a handful twins would be. I was worn out.

"Although sometimes I think 'Oh my goodness, what have I done?' when they are both screaming for attention and I've got up in the night for the umpteenth time, I love them to bits. I don't regret having twins at all.

"They both have their own personalities - Marcus is more boisterous and bigger than Ruby, who is very sweet and loving.

"They walk down the street holding hands and if one falls over the other will help them get up. I worked full-time for 15 years and you think being a mum will be easy, but it's hard work.

"Barry has made a full recovery and now has to work longer hours to support us and that has put a bit of a strain on our relationship. It's also more difficult to get a break with two. Friends and family are more reluctant to take them as they are a handful. But despite that we would never go back on what we have done."

GILL'S STORY

CARE manager Gill Baker and husband John, a printer, spent pounds 6,000 on two failed IVF treatments before having twins Joseph and Samuel in July 2001 thanks to free treatment from their health authority in Rochester, Kent. Gill, 34, says:

"WE had been trying for a child for a year with little success when I decided to have some tests to find out if anything was wrong.

"I was devastated when I discovered I had chlamydia and as a result both my fallopian tubes were blocked. We clung on to the hope I might be able to have the problem fixed, but then came the terrible news that the was little, if any, chance I would fall pregnant naturally.

"John was very positive about the whole situation, but I was incredibly down. After two private attempts we were considering the financial side of things when we discovered we fitted the criteria for the IVF programme funded by the West Kent Health Authority.

"I did the pregnancy test at 5am on John's birthday - and when we saw the positive result we rang all our family. We were over the moon. We had always wanted children and it was a dream come true.

"When I had my first scan at six weeks they knew I was carrying one child, but weren't sure about a second.

"At eight weeks the scan showed two heartbeats and we were chuffed to bits. We had wanted twins from the outset and it made our family complete. I had a very easy pregnancy - I sailed through it without any problems.

"I was in labour for seven and a half hours and Joseph was born first, Samuel was three minutes later. For the first three days it didn't sink in I had twins. I was so overwhelmed by everything. I thought I would cry like they do on TV but I was still in shock.

"We knew we were having the two boys and had bought a book to prepare ourselves.

"But after a few weeks John banned me from reading it because it was making me think I would find it difficult to cope!

"The boys are very different. Joseph is very mischievous and lively and I have to keep an eye on him all the time. Samuel is just as lively but is able to amuse himself. Joseph loves vegetables and fruit and Samuel likes chocolate.

"It has not always been easy - John and I have both suffered sleep depravation.

"We have been lucky financially as I am a member of a twins club so I get a lot of things at sales through that.

"The birth of the boys has brought John and I together as a couple.

"I was so desperate for a child it put a strain on us as a couple, but now we are both a lot more content.

"I love being a mother and having the twins is one of the best things that has happened to me."

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